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PatFried

Posts: 45
Joined: Oct 2012

Dec 11, 2012 - 6:15 pm

I have to tell you I love this discussion board. I can't tell you how many times I come in here with questions and find the answers from people going through the same issues. It is so reassuring that I am in the company of some wonderful people.
Soooooo my question for today. How long do you have to keep drinking and drinking and drinking ? I feel like I am ready to float. Yesterday was my first chemo treatment. Do I drink like this for days, weeks until the next treatment? Maybe a cot in the bathroom would make it easier, ewwwwwww
Just kidding.

I think that for the first several days, from chemo day on, I would try to drink 2-3 quarts of water. I would start before I headed out to chemo.

It got to where I had to play mind games with myself. I have a beverage container that holds a quart of water. What I would do is fill that, refrigerate it, pour out a glass from that to drink. I would not refill the bigger container until I used all the water in it. I did track how many times I filled it.

BTW: I kept a small notebook handy to write down what I ate and when, how much I drank, how I felt, how much I slept, and other little tidbits during chemo week. I was looking for a pattern for good vs. low days as well as whether or not things I ate bothered me.

Thanks for the tips on water. I have been journaling since I started chemo yesterday. It helps. And I know I will not remember all this when I have my next treatment on January 2. Chemo brain I guess.
Thanks again.
Pat

Just dug my "Chemothreapy Patient Education Manual" I got from my Center. Everyone gets an hour long education class with one of the Chemo RN's one-on-one before the start of the first chemo (if you do a different chemo later - then it's another class.). It give info on the chemo you will be doing and general info and you can ask any questions you have.

The Manual say on hydration-
"Try to drink 8 - 10 (8 ounce) glassses of fluid a day. All fluids count towardds this ddaily total except for caffeinated or alcoholic beverages."
"Limit fluid intake with meals since liquids can create a feeling of fullness. Drink liquids 30-60 minutes before or after a meal."

Getting enough fluids was never a problem for me - I'm a 'waterholic'. I always have a container of ice water within reach - well sometimes herb tea - hot or cold - so habit kept me going on hydration. Eating was another story - I lost all desire/appetite to eat so Hubby had to call me several times a day to remind me to eat something. From the start of chemo til the end of rads I lost 45 lbs.

Constipation can be a SE of chemo - the more fluid you take in the better.

I'm the same with water, always have been. I have a 32oz insulated glass that's always with me, being refilled all day long. I have 2 liter bottles in my car, full at all times, so i guess I'm good in that area.

You lost 45 pounds? Did you need to lose it, and did it come back when you finished? Hmm that would be a good side effect for me. Tho I'm sure there was a cost of other effects with that benefit huh?

I'm 5'6" and was averaging between 175 - 180 lbs when DX'd - so yeah I could stand to lose it. Exccept that all my Drs were not happy at all with me losing it. No - I have not gained any back in almost 3 yrs - in fact I've lost a bit more recently. I still have my port, so I have to have it flushed monthly and I get a weight done every time to try to monitor.

The biggest 'SE' for weight lose for me is what it all did/does to Hubby. My Mom was aneorxic - we were married her last 4 yrs and he saw what a horrible disease it is. (He had lost his Mom when he was 9 to cervical cancer.)

I'm IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) , The most aggressive form of BC with the worst survival rate.. The 'odds' are that I will have a need for it within the first 5 years. It doesn't makes no sensse rto me to have it pulled out when good chance of needing it again - why another surgery to re-implant another one IF needed? My Drs agree with me. SO - I go once a month for a flush.

This may sound strange to you (or anyone else) - but I 'see' my port as my soldier standing guard and ready to fight again IF needed.

I was told to drink lots all the time I was on chemo. Once you start to get dehydrated and are on chemo, it's almost impossible to catch back up without IV fluids.
I did not have a port and the chemo nurses said it is really important to drink an extra lot the night before and morning of chemo. "Makes your veins 'fluffy'" and much easier to get the IV started.
Angie

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